Wednesday, April 09, 2008

Half Day

I went to sleep last night with a pounding headache and woke up this morning with the same headache....I called in for the morning and went back to sleep. Then got up and was at work by noon. I probably should have stayed home the whole day, but I feel guilty that I'll be off 6 days when I get married, and I know my kids are not that great when there's a sub, so I just had to go in. And I was right. They were rotten while I was gone this morning. So we had a big classroom discussion. My classroom is different. The students are very advanced, and at all different levels, that is the beauty of the advanced class. I have 6, 7, and 8 year olds, which are all 1st and 2nd graders, and they are EXTREMELY smart and intelligent. You can not pull fast ones on them, and bribery seldom works. So I have been talking to them for weeks now about their behavior when I'm gone. I laid into them today about how disappointed I was that they were rotten for the sub this morning. I took their recess away, their art project, whatever I could take I did. My two smartest children go to the 3rd, 4th, 5th grade advanced class next door to me for math and language arts, and these girls are just amazing. They are too smart for me. They are the kids that are constantly correcting me and pointing things out that I forget (about a dozen things a day now!!). They are bad for subs because they are constantly doing the same thing to the sub that they do to me, and the subs can't handle it. So I asked the other multiage teacher if the girls could spend the 6 days that I'm gone in his class. He said it was fine, thank goodness. That will make leaving a little bit easier. The rest of the kids, I'm not sure, there will be hefty consequences, both good and bad, for their behaviors. I am already worried about it. Oh well. I still have 2 weeks to drill good behavior into their heads.

We met with the reverand who is marrying us last night to go over the ceremony and the program. I feel good knowing what's going to happen now. He suggested we use a heritage candle. I never heard of that so he explained that it's a candle that is lit at the beginning of the wedding ceremony by members of the family to signify the family members that have passed away. Then when our mommas go up to light the two small candles on either side of the unity candle, they light their candles from the heritage candle. I love the idea, and since Kenny doesn't have any living grandparents and only an aunt and uncle, we asked them to light it. Of course they will so it, were delighted that we asked. Then it dawned on me that I won't get to see ANY of this part of the ceremony!!!!!!!!!!! We are having everything professionally taped, but still, all this planning and I don't even get to see the live deal before I walk down the isle!! Oh well. I'm not really mad:)

I hate being out too - it is more work than being there!! But, we all know you have the BEST reason!! I wouldn't stress over it too badly - however they behave while you are away is NOT your problem. Just focus on you for a bit! Then, you can punish the little rug rats when you get back! ha!

My kids aren't always good for the sub either. I try to treat them like mini-adults. Usually expressing any disappointment works. One day (I was so hormonal) they were being terrible and I got "tears in my voice" as one girl called it and that snapped them to attention. Hehe